ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- When Buffalo Bills kicker Tyler Bass ran onto the field against the Miami Dolphins, punter and holder Sam Martin told him that the kick he was about to attempt was a 30-yard field goal.
Of course, the kick was anything but. The Bills were tied with the Dolphins at 27 and had fourth-and-10 with just 10 seconds remaining in the game. Bass was running out to attempt a 61-yard field goal for the win and to extend the lead in the AFC East to four games over the New York Jets.
No kicker in Bills history ever made a 61-yard field goal. As he prepared to kick, Bass was thinking about how much he loves the sport and that this is what he has dreamed of. Once he was out there, it was simply going through his normal process.
Bass -- kicking from the middle of the logo -- made audible contact with the ball as it sailed to the left and then veered towards the center and through the uprights to give the Bills the lead and ultimately as 30-27 win over the Dolphins. The kicker celebrated with Martin picking him up as teammates surrounded Bass.
The kick set a franchise record -- the previous record was 59 yards by Steve Christie in 1993 -- but for Bass, it came after weeks with his job status uncertain and at the end of a tough game. Previously, Bills kickers were 0-5 all-time on 60-plus yard field goals, including Bass missing a 61-yard kick in 2020.
"It means everything, very emotional," Bass said. "Haven't really processed it yet, but just putting in a lot of work, man, and was just focused on right here, right now, the present and being patient with everything, man. You're gonna go through ups and downs, but just continue to put your best foot forward. We did that today."
Competition was brought in for Bass on Oct. 17 when the team signed Lucas Havrisik to the practice squad after general manager Brandon Beane acknowledged that week that Bass -- who the team signed to a four-year extension in 2023 -- wasn't playing to the level hoped for. "We want nothing more than Tyler to be our guy. We signed him, he felt he had really earned the deal that we paid him an offseason ago. But it is a production business, and he knows he's got to make those kicks."
Bass, 27, to that point, made 2-of-5 field goals from 40-49 yards, made all his other field goals and missed two PATs. In the two games that followed, Bass made all of his kicks but attempted none longer than 30 yards. Going into Week 9, he was 34th in field goal percentage from 40-49 yards (40%).
Against the Dolphins on Sunday, he scored the team's only first half point with 40- and 49-yard field goals, but then missed a PAT in the third quarter and then had another bounce off the upright and in. All that, and then the decision to have him kick from 61 yards out. Bass said that during pregame warmups, he made a couple from 58 yards, not wanting to overkick, but knowing he had "the leg for it."
"I just I happened to get a glimpse of T-Bass in the warmups and knew that the 40, I thought he had a pretty good warmup, especially from deep," coach Sean McDermott said. "We had a little bit of a of a wind in that direction, so I felt good about it. And I trust him. And he came through."
Bass' 61-yd FG was the longest game-tying/go-ahead field goal in the final 30 seconds of a game since Christmas Eve 2022 (Greg Joseph, Vikings). It was the third go-ahead 60-yard field goal in the final 20 seconds of regulation in the last four seasons.
After the game, Bass received a game ball from McDermott and became emotional in addressing the team, expressing how much their support meant. The feelings were mutual.
This moment is EVERYTHING. 🥹#MIAvsBUF | #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/cHTI4qO1Lh
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) November 3, 2024
"So proud of him. So happy for him," quarterback Josh Allen said. "Got emotional in my little post-game speech out there, just the trials and tribulations that he's been in throughout this year. Obviously missing one early in the day, hitting the pole in another, you know he could have easily put it in the tank and 61-yard field goal to win a game against a division rival, it's what stories are made of. And I love him. I respect him so much. Everybody in that locker room's so happy for him, and he's our guy."
Bass' kick ended a drive for the Bills offense that started with 1:38 remaining and an Allen sack to conclude a back-and-forth fourth quarter. The Bills were aided by consecutive penalties by the Dolphins, including a 15-yard unnecessary roughness on former Buffalo safety Jordan Poyer. On the final two plays, the Bills were unable to gain a yard, setting up the kick.
"A, for him to make a kick like that and everybody knows the story, right? And B, he won the game," long snapper Reid Ferguson said. "It wasn't just a 61-yarder in the second quarter, right? It was 61 to win the game. So, I think it was a little mixture of both, going forward him knowing the reaction that the team had I think it what is going to stick with him the most."
The message from several players around the locker room was how much support they have for Bass, including from cornerback Kaiir Elam, who received his first starting opportunity of the season against the Dolphins, "In this game you going to deal with inconsistencies and, the ones who can stay strong and continue to stay, stick to their process, I feel like, it's gonna pay off. So, I'm super proud of Tyler."
Cornerback Rasul Douglas said he never had a doubt, because Bass missed the PAT earlier in the game. "This is usually how the story go. You miss the other one. Oh, everybody, 'Hahahah.' And it's just, OK, you get a chance to win."
Fans have once again started donating to Ten Lives Club, a local cat shelter that Bass is connected with that received donations after he missed a key late field goal in a playoff loss to the Chiefs last year.
The win over the Dolphins marked the Bills' fifth time trailing at halftime this season and third time coming out with a win.
"I think it's a great example of mental toughness," McDermott said. "I think it's a great example of perseverance, resilience, and for young kids out there, here's a player that was under the microscope pretty darn hard. And we brought a player in here to compete with him midseason and he didn't back down. And I think that says a lot about who he is.
"... It also speaks to our locker room of even today's game. We missed the extra point. And he was going to have to make a kick later. And he made it in a convincing fashion. So, this game is as much mental as it is physical, and sometimes even more mental. And I couldn't be more proud of him and what he did today."